


A Little Love For The Damaged Things

by soukokuforlife14



Series: A Little Love And Understanding [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: His Heart, I wrote this so fast, Like those two aren't very important, M/M, Stephen loves him anyway, Tony Stark Gets A Freakin Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, and how ugly it is, and loving it, and loving it a lot, because people hurt him so much, it's just Stephen thinkin about Tony's heart, its insane, like really though, loves him a lot, thats all this fic is about btw, thats it that's all this fic is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 00:16:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16565915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soukokuforlife14/pseuds/soukokuforlife14
Summary: Tony Stark has a heart. It's battered. It's torn. Held together by pins and pieces stitched into place.Stephen loves Tony's heart. For its brokenness and for its warmth.





	A Little Love For The Damaged Things

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [【授翻/奇异铁】A Little Love For The Damaged](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16601186) by [Clover_cherik](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clover_cherik/pseuds/Clover_cherik)



> Heyo guys here I am with dat sorta sequel nobody asked for but I wrote anyway!! Idek don't ask. This just sorta happened and now I have another series on my hands and I didn't do it on purpose mkay? But I was inspired. I wrote. I don't regret a thing. I hope you guys like my late night offering (that I worked on instead of sleeping...can you tell I should probably be sleeping??)

Tony’s heart was a battered mess. Covered in stitches, pieces mismatched. It was torn and put back together haphazardly. Parts taken and never returned. Replaced. Parts cold never to know warmth again. Others too hot.

Like an overused stuffed animal Tony’s heart was tearing apart at the seams. Stuffing bleeding out. Pins holding some of it together.

A modern Frankenstein.

Tony’s heart wasn’t whole. Too much stolen over time. Too much willingly given but never returned.

Tony’s heart was cold. Unforgiving. Guarded behind walls of distrust and fear. Breakable, easy to tear apart. Desperate. Lonely. Hateful.

Tony’s heart was hot. Ever burning passion. A constant thing of flames. Shining brighter than the sun. Than even the arc reactor. Loving. Empathetic. Kind. Exuding warmth. 

Tony’s heart was complex. It was contradictory. Confusing even. Sometimes left Stephen guessing.

Eventually, Tony let Stephen pull it apart. Examine its contents. Pick it apart and see inside. Even with his fingers which shook in the most indelicate manner. He allowed Stephen to pinch and pull, to look, to touch, and Stephen reveled in it. He loved Tony more for what he saw and hated Steve that much more as well.

Steve who was a taker but _never_ a giver.

Steve who kept taking and taking until all Tony had was remnants which he pieced back together in a mosaic of its former self. Stitched. Pinned. Constantly shifting parts. Trying to make himself feel right. Feel _whole._

The man who destroyed Tony’s ability to trust in others so thoroughly it took months for Tony to even attempt befriending Stephen. Stuck to petty sarcastic comments. Didn’t divulge much personal information. Perpetually wearing a mask crafted for the public eye.

Sometimes the guy had been rude, cold, almost cruel in his words or expressions, as though he were unconsciously attempting to push Stephen away. He’d apologize only hours or days after and Stephen had to learn his language before he too gave up on the man. It took him longer than he’s proud to admit to figure the engineer out. To pick apart his facade which came up more often than when he was willing to let it down.

To learn the man like a new subject, figure out the facts from the lies. Tabloids and magazines the equivalent to American history books handed out in elementary schools. Much crueler truths hidden among well crafted lies.

However over time Tony slowly offered his pieces to Stephen. Shared something about himself. Said something heartfelt. Laughed genuinely. Smiled with his large brown eyes not just his lips. Cried. Ranted to him, explained how angry he was about what the public named “The Civil War”. Ranted about the Rogue Avengers who invaded his home and couldn't bother to be thankful when he gave it to them. When he got them pardons and negotiated the Accords until they reached a desired outcome. To which the stupid jerks were begrudging as they signed. The only one who seemed to care at all, was grateful at all was Bucky and Tony didn't know how to handle him.

Said the man inspired a panic in him that he didn't know how to control. And that Bucky struggled to be near him too. That neither knew how to be around the other. Bucky a guilt ridden mess of trying to be who he once was so long ago and Tony just afraid.

Tony ranted about Steve too. More often than not about Steve. How the man had the gall to approach him. To attempt a reconciliation. To see if a relationship between them was truly no longer an option. If he'd truly be so petty. If he really couldn't put a spat like that behind them. Especially when it wasn't even _his_ fault anyway. However he had forgiven Tony and was willing to try. 

 _To that,_ Stephen quite nearly dropped the man into the dark dimension where he could spend eternity falling. Was only stopped on doing so because of Tony and he, to this day will never understand why. But regardless the brunet simply stated that he handled the situation accordingly. With a satisfaction ringing in his voice explaining that Rogers had crashed and very thoroughly burned.

It was also during that particular rant regarding the Captain that he also told Stephen about his nightmares. Particularly the ones whose star was the man they'd been discussing. Well no, not quite discussing, but rather Tony yelling about as Stephen quietly listened, silently fuming himself as each new detail was divulged.

It was one of the first moments Stephen was given a part of Tony to see and examine. To take and return. To appreciate and offer sympathy that the man was reluctant to take.

It took even longer for their relationship to shift from platonic to romantic. Not because neither was interested but rather because they were both absolutely terrified. Tony was afraid of opening himself up to hurt and abandonment...again.

And Stephen...well Stephen was just scared of Tony. Of his impact on the sorcerer. Of his influence. How easily Stephen could go from serenity to severe anger or happiness depending on the situation. Could be in a full blown panic attack and Tony would be the only one who could soothe him through it.

Tony scared Stephen because he was a good person and the former surgeon had been anything but. Still wasn't. Better, not as egotistical, not as narcissistic, but just looking back on their first meeting left him wondering if it were even possible for him to actually be a good guy. Still did.

Tony of course, diminished those doubts, saying Stephen was good _because_ he doubted himself. Because he contemplated it. He was good because he was trying. Unlike a certain someone who believed his own goodness was effortless. Believed himself a beacon of such greatness that he alone could decide what was good or bad.

But Steve Rogers was terribly mistaken in that way.

They worked through their other troubles and fears too, spitting them out after a fight and miraculously ended the night in Tony’s bedroom.

There Stephen was given the opportunity to truly see who Anthony Edward Stark was inside and out. He got the chance to peek past his walls. He got the chance to glimpse at his brokenness and see how he holds himself together. 

With pins and stitching. Pieces mismatched. Some parts cold others burning hot.

He got the chance to know Tony’s heart and fell helplessly further for the engineer.

Someone else who happened to enjoy Tony was the cloak. On occasion did the thing not react when Tony dropped by the sanctum or when they went to him. The cloak made it quite clear that it appreciated Tony’s presence. Flapping it's collar and resting on his shoulders when the opportunity presented itself.

The cloak felt for Tony in ways the billionaire wasn't quite sure how to handle which just made teasing him all the easier. However Tony grew close to the thing too and suddenly they felt like some strange group of beings with a mutual affection for each other. Then throw Peter in the mix, fascinated by technology and magic alike and suddenly they were imitating a very odd looking family.

But neither he nor Tony really minded either.

Tony’s heart was large, and welcoming of young ones in particular unlike adults. As though he couldn't help but accept children. For they were innocent. And sweet. And kind in ways adults never seem to be. Except, maybe Tony. But he had to reacquire such qualities and Stephen applauds him for actually doing so. Unsure of where to start himself.

Tony's heart was damaged, battered, in ways that could never be mended. However that didn't make him unlovable like he thought. It was the opposite really. His heart made him achingly human and all Stephen wanted to do was keep him from hurting anymore.

Arms tightening around Tony who was trying to sleep, having just come to bed after too many hours up in the lab, Stephen decided he'd make Tony feel loved at all times. Feel appreciated. Feel trusted. Feel warm.

Tony’s heart was a stitched up mess of parts. Like a modern Frankenstein. But he was Stephen's and he loved Tony’s heart. Even though it was ugly. It worked. It beat. Pumped blood through his body. Kept him breathing. And really, nothing else mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> Okkkk so interested in seeing more? Nope? Idc. I have plot bunnies and they are multiplying fast. Lol. I'm kidding. But not about writing more. I will write more. XD 
> 
> Peace out people who ship Ironstrange and like to freak out about it too. Comments and Kudos are of course very appreciated. And like I said before, constructive criticism is welcomed.


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